1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for anonymously registering, storing and using body material of an individual, and/or the information derived from the body material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Owing to the rapidly progressing developments in medical science and biotechnology, use is increasingly being made of the storage for a shorter or longer time of diverse types of body material of people. The stored body material can for instance be used to derive information therefrom at some point in time for the benefit of the person himself, or for medical science and/or biotechnology in general. Storage of body material for a longer period may for instance be desired to create the possibility of being able to utilize the material at a later stage, for instance in order to treat the individual. In addition to storing stem cells from blood from the umbilical cord, it is possible to further envisage the storage of sperm cells, egg cells, embryonic cells and/or bone marrow cells.
In addition to the requirements set in the medical-biological field regarding handling and storage of cells and/or tissues in respect of quality and safety, there are generally also set requirements regarding the management of the personal data of the depositors of the body material, so that the confidentiality of the medical and biological data obtained during testing of and/or treatments with/of the body material can be guaranteed. The registration, storage and the use of non-anonymous material and non-anonymous data are thus subject to legal limitations, since ethical and judicial problems could otherwise result. Non-anonymous data could for instance result in discrimination of the depositors by employers, insurance companies and/or other bodies. Not only does such a system of non-anonymous data have the above stated limitations, the management and the responsibility for protecting personal details moreover lies with the registering body without the depositors being able to exert any direct influence or make checks thereon. It therefore occurs that in some cases the body material and/or the data obtained therewith are registered, stored and/or used anonymously, i.e. such that no connection can be made to the person from which the body material originates, and whose personal data is thus no longer retrievable. This has the drawback however that the material and the data obtained therewith could never be made available again to the relevant person from whom the material originates.